


Welcome to the Hub

by nightlight9



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Alternate Universe - No Werewolves, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 22:22:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3667416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightlight9/pseuds/nightlight9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Allison starts working in an after-care kid program, Stiles begins volunteering on Fridays to help her out. Of course he hadn't counted on the broody but gorgeous front desk worker who seems to hate him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to the Hub

**Author's Note:**

> This is based off of something that sort-of happened to me. Broody but gorgeous front desk people are a thing.

When Allison started working at The Hub, Stiles almost lost Scott. Like, his best friend almost got caught in the star-struck love look for eternity. But aside from having to snap Scott back into reality, Stiles didn’t think that Allison working the after-care kid program at a recreation center would have anything to do with him. He was wrong. 

Because on activity Fridays, Allison needs help wrangling the kids. Help as in volunteers. Volunteers as in Stiles, because Scott has work and Stiles always crumbles under his puppy-dog stare. Actually, the job isn’t that bad. Primarily he acts as a second spotter, making sure that no one gets into trouble, or gets lost as they move around the Hub. And it’s not like he has to volunteer every Friday. Sometimes Lydia will go in, or Danny. Heck, even Jackson went in once. 

And everyone who works at the Hub is great. Isaac looks like a curly blond puppy, though he’s quick witted and snarky. Erica, one of the life guards, is the Cat Woman to Stiles’ Batman, and her boyfriend Boyd looks like a wall of muscle but turns into a teddy bear around the kids. Matt is kind of weird, but aside from the freaky vibes there isn’t anything wrong with him. Even her boss Finstock is an alright guy. 

And then there’s Derek who works at the front desk, who always wears a nice button up with the sleeves rolled past his elbows. Derek, who’s eyes are green and gray and brown and blue. Derek, who has cute front teeth and laughs with his whole body. Derek, who Stiles has fallen hard for.

Derek, who can’t seem to stand Stiles at all.  
Well, yeah, that puts a damper on volunteering. 

\-----------

“Stiles,” Derek barks as the other boy walks in, nearly tripping over his feet. “You know that you don’t actually work here, right?”

Stiles frowns at him. “Obviously. I’m just a volunteer.”

This doesn’t seem to make him happy. “Volunteer somewhere else.”

If he wasn’t so used to the bad attitude, Stiles would be offended. Instead, his frown turns into a grin as he leans across the welcome desk. “Honey, if I did that you would miss me too much.”

The flinch should make Stiles feel victorious. It just hurts his heart a little. “Don’t call me honey.”

“Sure thing, Sweet-Cheeks.” Laughing at the annoyed squawk, Stiles throws his hand up in a wave and walks away. Seriously, messing with Derek is too much fun. 

\-----------

The situation with Derek wouldn’t be so bad if he was rude to everyone. But he’s not. Stiles has watched him interact with people who come in to use the gym or the pool. He smiles, ever gracious and helpful. 

At first, Stiles thought that it was just an act for customers. But then he walked in one day to see Derek laughing with Boyd. And if that wasn’t a punch in the gut, both Stiles and Lydia volunteered for the Halloween party. Derek had greeted Lydia like they were old friends, giving her a soft smile and everything. The asshole smiled at her and then turned to scowl at Stiles. He didn’t even say anything to him, just scowled. Like, ow dude, way to be cruel.

Originally it was Stiles’ mission to get a laugh out of the older man, to get him to smile at him. Hell, it was his goal to hear a simple, ‘Hey Stiles, how was your day?’ But nope, he gets frowns and scowls and rude comments. So the new goal is to annoy Derek as much as possible. If he’s going to make Stiles’ life miserable (though he might be unaware how much his rude interactions break Stiles’ heart), Stiles can counter attack by annoying the hell out of him.

\-----------

“It’s Tuesday,” Derek growls. It’s surprising to see how quick he can transition from being a nice guy to an angry bear. 

As a reply, Stiles pops his gum. “Great job, you know your days of the week. Now we can finally start teaching you the twelve months.”

He narrows his eyes. “You’re not as funny as you think you are.”

Stiles laughs. “You’re right. I’m hilarious.”

“Get out.”

“Hey man, I’m a paying customer. I’m here to use the pool.”

“No.”

If Stiles was a lesser person, the shift from a growl to a snarl would scare the hell out of him. But Stiles is here to play the game, so he leans closer, smiles wider and says, “Yep.”

Derek’s eyebrows go through a complicated dance of confusion and annoyance. But before he can protest more, someone else gets in line behind Stiles, so Derek forces a smile and takes his money. 

As he’s walking away, a hand catches his wrist, holding a little too tight to be comfortable. “Spit your gum out.” When Stiles opens him mouth to protest, Derek shakes his head. “Gum. Now, Stiles, I’m not joking.”

The younger man does what he says, but he still counts that interaction as a win.

\-----------

“What are you here for now,” Derek asks when Stiles places both of his elbows on the desk. 

“This week was supposed to be Lydia’s week, wasn’t it?”

Playing with one of Derek’s pens, Stiles shrugs. “Yeah, but I couldn’t stay away.” His smirk softens. “Besides, Chloe is bringing in cupcakes for her birthday today and she told me that I had to be there. See, she really likes comic books, so each cupcake is going to have a different superhero ring on it, and she said I had to be Batman.”

When Derek doesn’t say anything, Stiles sneaks a glance up at him. He’s surprised how warm his eyes are. “Oh. Okay. Have fun then, Batman.”

The playful tone catches Stiles by surprise. All he can do as stare at Derek and nod. “I-. Yeah, thanks Derek.” 

\-----------

Most nights Stiles sneaks out one of the side exits, too tired from roughhousing with kids to put effort into annoying the hell out of Derek. But after the birthday party he makes sure to walk past the front desk, slowing his pace down to an easygoing meander. He’s pleased when Derek raises his head and the warmth in his eyes is still there. Even when his gaze locks with Stiles’. 

“Hey, how did it go?”

Stiles can’t help his grin. He holds up his left hand so Derek can see the Batman ring on his pinky. “It was awesome. Everyone got their own character cupcake.”

The older man’s lips twitch up. “Of course. You can’t have any repeats; that’s no fun.”

Their conversation seems easy, light. It’s so different from what Stiles is used to. “Yeah. It was cool though, because Chloe picked the Green Lantern, and Rick tried to tell her that she couldn’t have that one because he was a boy. But this tiny ball of fire turned to him with a glare that would rival yours and said that she could be whoever she wanted to be. She said, ‘I don’t care that he’s a boy. He’s my favorite. If your favorite was Superwoman I would let you have her cupcake. It doesn’t matter.’ That’s pretty great for a girl her age.”

His lips twitch again. “I’m glad she stuck up for herself and maybe taught Rick a lesson while doing it.”

Stiles laughs. “She totally taught him something! When he saw that there were X-Men characters he asked for Rogue. Afterwards he told me that she was awesome because she could take power from other people. And then he blushed and said that her hair was cool.”

Derek shakes his head, but the gesture is fond instead of exasperated. “Good for her. I’m glad the party was a hit.”

The sentence feels like a dismissal but Stiles doesn’t feel bad walking away. His heart is soaring with the conversation. “Hey, I’ll see you later, Derek.”

Derek stares at him for a long moment, blinks, then nods. “Yeah.”

When Stiles comes back a week later, the person at the front desk is not his dark haired, scruffy, Grumpy Pants. Instead it’s this chipper blond. She smiles at Stiles when he walks in, and tells him to have a great time. On his way out she bids him goodnight. It’s weird, and he hates it. He spends the weekend sulking in bed.

\-----------

The next Friday it’s Danny’s turn to go in, but Stiles tags along anyway. What’s one more volunteer, right? At least, he was planning on going until he walked in, saw the same blond at the counter and walked right out.

\-----------

His hopes are not too high when he volunteers the next week. Allison thinks that all his pouting is cute, but now it’s turned into something else: worry. The last time that she had seen Derek was the Friday of the party. He hadn’t been in that next Monday or since then. It makes Stiles a little crazy, coming up with terrible scenarios that would keep him away from work. Terrible things. 

The person at the desk isn’t the peppy blond. But it isn’t Derek either.

“Hello,” the girl greets, offering Stiles a smile. “You’re Stiles, right?”

That makes him freeze. How does this girl know him? With her long dark hair and bright green eyes, Stiles knows that he’s never seen her before. “Um, yeah?”

Her smile grows an edge. “Don’t you have a job?” That sends Stiles flapping backwards, mouth wide open. She laughs. “Because I’ve heard that you’re here nearly every Friday. Normal people are too busy to volunteer that much.”

He crosses his arms. “I totally have a job! In an IT department, thank you very much. And I’m paid super well, if that was going to be your next question. I just get off early on Fridays so I thought I would give my friend a hand.”

His long response seems too amuse the girl greatly. “I get it now. You’re a rambler.” He sputters again. “Hey, don’t take offense. Some people find it very endearing.” She winks at him, but the cackle afterwards makes Stiles want to run away. “Well, go on back then. You don’t want to keep the kids waiting.”

He starts walking, but before he can get too far she calls out, “Oh, and by the way, my name is Laura.”

He uses the side door when he leaves.

\-----------

“Oh thank God!” Derek jerks up, glaring at Stiles when he slams his hands across the desk. “I thought you were dead, Dude. Like, dying in a ditch dead.”

His glare softens. “Well I’m not dead, so you don’t have to worry.”

Stiles frowns at him, putting his hands on his hips. “That’s it. That’s all you’re giving me? ‘I’m not dead, don’t worry.’ That’s it?”

Derek’s nose scrunches up in confusion. “Yes?” If Stiles wasn’t so upset right now, he would think it was adorable.

“You’ve been gone for three weeks, and I get no explanation.” Before Derek can protest, and he opens his mouth like he’s going too, Stiles charges on. “Do you have any idea what you’ve put me through? The first week you were gone, this bubbly girl was here. She was so nice, Derek, like smiley and approachable. It was awful! She was here again the second week, so I left. I couldn’t even deal with her bright personality again.”

“Normal people wouldn’t think that that’s a bad thing.”

Stiles continues talking as if Derek hadn’t interrupted. “And then last week, this crazy lady was here. She cackled at me. Cackled! Who does that? She came right out and asked me if I had a job. I had never even seen her before, and she was accusing me of being unemployed. Do I look unemployed? Seriously, is it the plaid? I can stop wearing it if it is. I don’t want to look unemployed. Or homeless! Oh gosh, do I-.”

Derek reaches over and places one of his hands on Stiles’ mouth, effectively shutting him up. “Stop talking. Seriously, do you ever breathe? I had some vacation time that my boss made me take, so I took a week to go and visit my family. Then when I got back I got sick. I’ve been out recovering.”

Stiles pulls the hand away from his mouth. “And you didn’t tell anyone?” He’s aware that he sounds like a child, and that he doesn’t have any right to, but he can’t help it. “Allison didn’t even know where you were.”

Derek actually smiles. Like, teeth showing and everything. It’s magic. “I didn’t find out about the vacation time until Saturday. And I flew out Sunday.”

He bites his lip. “Oh.” Now he feels like a fool “Well, I’m glad that you’re back.”

The smile stays in place. “Me too. Oh, and just so you know, the girl that was here last week-.”

Stiles cuts him off. And nearly brains him with his flailing arm. “Oh no, you know her don’t you? Is she your girlfriend? I didn’t mean to insult her. She’s like, awesome and stuff. And so pretty. Like, wow, great job.”

Derek tips his head back and laughs. “You get so carried away, Stiles. Yeah, I know her, but she’s not my girlfriend. She’s my sister. And I pretty much agree with everything you said about her, so don’t feel bad. She’s always tormenting me, so I’m glad to hear she got you too.”

The laughter makes Stiles flush. “Oh well, that’s good. I-. That’s good. I’m glad you’re back.”  
Derek smiles and tips his head. “Okay, now get going. You’re keeping the kids waiting.” It’s said almost affectionately. Stiles beams and skips away, whistling a tune. 

\-----------

Their interactions from that point run smoothly. Everyday Stiles comes in (and if Derek isn’t busy) he stops by the front desk to talk to him. One Friday Allison had to come out and physically drag him to work. For the record, Derek was sharing funny family stories; how was Stiles supposed to walk away from that.

Scott thinks that Stiles should ask him out. Stiles thinks that Scott is crazy. 

“Seriously, Derek is hot as burning fire. But not only does he have a delicious body, Scott. He’s smart! He double majored in Business Relations and French. And he has this dry-wit that is so funny and charming. I can’t even touch that man, though I really wish I could touch that. Because I would pay-.” Stiles freezes mid-sentence. Because someone is laughing. And the laughter is familiar. He turn around, blushing and stuttering, to stare at Laura and another girl who (judging by the similarities in their features) is another sister. Out of all the grocery stores in the whole town...“Oh. Uh. Hey, Laura.”

She wipes her eye, still laughing. “Hey, Stiles.”

“I’m going to assume you heard all of that, which means that I need to stop by the gardening section and pick up a shovel so I can bury myself and avoid this mortification.”

The other girl snorts. “He’s exactly as you described him, Laur.”

“Oh God, how did you describe me. Because I may have told everyone I knew that you were crazy. And I probably shouldn’t tell you that, because you might still be crazy, and if so no one will ever find my body. Scott, make sure you find my body, man!” He’s rambling, but he can’t help it. There’s this gleam in Laura’s eyes that is unnerving. 

“Oh sweetie, I’m not going to kill you.” The fact that she’s pushing him down the aisle seems to counteract her words. Scott steps up to help him like a good best friend, but he’s intercepted by the other sister.

The pushing doesn’t stop until he tumbles into Derek, who’s wearing glasses and a soft sweater. The sight makes Stiles loose all train of though that doesn’t include the slight blush on Derek’s cheeks. “I-. Glasses?”

Derek is glaring at his sisters. “Um, yeah. Usually I have contacts in. What are you do-.”

He’s interrupted by Laura’s laugh. “Cora and I were looking for the cereal when we overheard a very interesting conversation between Stiles and his friend.” She winks. “Why don’t you share it with my brother, Stiles. I’m sure he’s dying to hear what you were saying.”

Stiles wants to run away, but there is no where for him to go. He’s trapped between Derek and Laura, with a cart on one side and Scott and Cora on the other. Scott wrinkles his nose in sudden understanding. “Oh! This is Derek! Nice to finally meet you. I’m Scott, Allison’s boyfriend and this crazy dude’s best friend. I’ve heard so much about you!”

Stiles glares and hisses at him. “Scott, you’re not helping anything.”

Scott just shrugs. “I’m kind of with the girls on this one, and not just because I think they’re terrifying. You should tell him.”

Worst best friend ever. He’s distracted from his thoughts on all the ways to get back at Scott when a soft hand touches his elbow. He turns to look up at Derek, who looks adorably confused. But also hopeful. Which-wait what? “Stiles, whatever it is, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me. We’re okay.”

Hearing Derek say that, Stiles realizes that it isn’t okay. He wants to tell Derek, even if it ruins everything. He wants him to know, because since they stopped tearing at each other the secret has been burning a hole in his chest. “No. I want-. I want to tell you.” Laura squeaks a little, but right then Derek is the only thing that matters. Derek is the only thing he sees. “Derek, I like you. Like, really like you. At first you drove me crazy, because you seemed to hate me. And I still liked you. And then we talked and we’ve built this friendship. But you should know that I like you.”

Derek’s beautiful eyes widen and Stiles is ready to push away and pretend this encounter never happened when Derek smiles, broad and bright. “Go out with me. We can do whatever you want, just say that you will.”

Stiles gaps. “You’re serious? I mean, I didn’t just scare you away?”

His head tips back with laughter and Stiles imagines licking the lean line of his throat. “You didn’t scare me away. I like you too. I have for a while, but I didn’t know how to ask you out. So?”

“Yes! Oh hell yes!” He throws his arms around his neck, pressing in close for a hug. Laura and Scott start clapping, because they’re actually losers like that. Cora just rolls her eyes and demands that they buy more granola bars. 

\-----------

Derek and Stiles spend their first date arguing over the merits of Lord of The Rings. Stiles decides he needs to send Allison a gift basket. After all, this is all because of her new job.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic. I'm still trying to figure out the formatting for this website, so if this is weird I could use some help figuring it out.


End file.
